Question
“I overheard one of the women I work with complaining to another coworker that I send too many emails. I’m just trying to make sure I cover all of my bases and that my boss sees that I’m working. Tell me what you think.” – Helen from Astoria, NY
Answer
According to a 2012 report, the average worker spends nearly 30 percent of his or her workday reading and responding to emails. Your coworker may just be feeling overwhelmed by the amount of messages piling up in her inbox, so I wouldn’t take it too personally. But there are some things you can do to make sure you’re using email effectively going forward:
Summarize Your Message in Your Subject Line
Never leave your subject line blank or put something generic like “A quick note” or “Meeting.” This is the first thing recipients scan before determining whether to open your message or not, so make sure to use the line to summarize the content of your email. If an email is important or urgent, one thing I like to do is start my subject line with “Time-sensitive request:” or “Response requested:” – this lets the recipient know that they need to take an action beyond just reading your message.
Keep It Focused and Short
Email overload is something almost everyone deals with in the workplace. Respect other people’s time by keeping your email focused on a single subject and communicating your information or request as concisely as possible.
Tell the Recipient What Action to Take
If you need the recipient to take an action, such as complete a task or answer a question, state it directly in the email. Most people quickly skim the emails they receive, and a buried or hidden request may be overlooked.
Know When Not to Send an Email
If you find yourself writing more than a few paragraphs or know that a topic will require a lot of back-and-forth communication, don’t press send. Instead, walk down to the person’s office, get them on the phone or schedule a time to chat with them in person. The same goes if you have something confidential to discuss – email is never totally private. If you wouldn’t want another person reading what you’ve written, it’s best to take the conversation offline.
Cut Back on the CC-ing
While it’s great to keep people in the loop on projects that pertain to them, not everyone needs to be copied on every message. Before pressing send, ask yourself if everyone on the chain really needs to receive your message right this instance, or if you can update the group collectively on the issue at a later time. And remember – the more people you copy, the more perspectives you invite. If you’re trying to make a quick decision, you’re better off only including the key decision makers in the process in most cases.
And finally, if you’re still struggling with whether to send an email, take a look at this flowchart developed by Online IT Degree:
